This invention relates generally to intumescent, ceramic silicate fire retardant coatings, which can be used to insulate substrates such as structural steel or wood materials used in buildings to protect the substrates from fires and more specifically, to the intumescent ceramic silicate liquid binder in which is incorporated intumescent, ceramic, silicate particles.
Hydrated metal silicates are known fire-proofing materials and are extensively employed in building construction to insulate apertures and passages in buildings against the passage of fire and smoke. Under the high temperatures existing during a fire, the water of hydration of the metal silicates are driven off causing the composition to expand (intumesce) by up to forty times its original volume forming a foam structure that insulates the building against heat generated by the fire. The foaming pressure of the metal silicate particles helps to seal apertures and passages in building structures making these fireproofing materials useful in fire-stops, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,210 to Fleming et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. In addition, the preparation of intumescent silicates is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,333 to Graham et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.